Grass Jelly, Tofu Pudding, and Boba Bubble Tea

When you order a bubble tea in Taiwan, you're asked several questions. What temperature do you want the tea? - really hot, warm, cold, with ice, without ice...Then you're asked how much sugar you want - normal amount, half, a third, and a nice little secret I found out after living there for almost a year is that you can substitute honey (free of charge) to it instead.

I wanted to share with you guys my favorite type of bubble tea while I was studying in Taiwan. My mom recently took a trip over there and her pictures reminded me that I had a ton of my own to share. It's called "3 Guys" - with the word "guys" sort of meaning brothers or just things that hang out together. It's actually referring to the additional ingredients like tapioca pearl, or aloe vera you add to the tea. (Those who thought aloe vera was just for cuts and burns have to try it out! It has sort of a softer pear/cucumber like texture and flavor. It's a nice and lighter alternative to the heavier tapioca balls - boba - which are usually added). Anyhow, the three fillings to 3 Guys is the normal tapioca balls, grass jelly, and pudding. These three ingredients are like the magic trinity of Asian desserts - like the big 3, so it made perfect sense to put them all together into one cup of bubble tea. Bubble tea has definitely made its way across the US. I was surprised to see one in Maine this past summer! But nothing beats the creative flavors they have in Taiwan mixing fruits and rose and herbal products together. You could definitely go on a culinary tour of the country and focus just on bubble tea.